


Tea Party

by WritLarge



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-06
Updated: 2016-05-06
Packaged: 2018-06-06 18:12:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6764635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritLarge/pseuds/WritLarge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Never did post this 2015 Secret Santa fic.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Tea Party

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eastofthemoon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eastofthemoon/gifts).



> Never did post this 2015 Secret Santa fic.

It was Jamie’s fault.

He’d begged Jack to watch Sophie while he worked on his school project and Jack had agreed. It’d been a couple years since the events of that one Easter and Jack had become pretty invested in Jamie’s well being. His believer base had grown, slowly but surely increasing each year, but Burgess would always feel like home. It was where he’d found himself, found his sense of purpose, and Jamie had been a big part of that.

So Jack helped however he could, though lately he was reluctant to do anything that might upset Jamie, possibly because he was expecting his first believer to outgrow him any day now. Most kids Jamie’s age had stopped believing already. Pippa had walked right through him the other day. It warmed Jack, the way Jamie clung to his belief, but he wouldn’t be different forever.

Today, that meant that he’d been railroaded into a tea party. 

Well, maybe that was too harsh. Much like Jamie, Jack had a hard time upsetting Sophie but for entirely different reasons. Reasons involving sad eyes and a quivering pout. The girl could weaponize her cuteness. That much will-breaking, resolve-melting adorableness couldn’t be normal. So, invisible tea it was, served in tiny white and pink cups, at the circular craft table in the playroom. At least the chairs were decently sized. The table was adorned with a slightly tattered paper tablecloth and held down by a mismatched array of plates and utensils. The tea set stood out in its rose-patterned glory, North’s particular gift last Christmas. Sophie fluttered around in her over long yellow dress, arranging everything just so and making demands on Jack’s behaviour.

Sit up straight. No elbows on the table. Not that spoon, this one!

It was a bit much for a guy who didn’t even wear shoes.

“No, Jack! Like this!” Sophie showed him, again, the proper way to pretend-sip his tea.

Okay, no way was he suffering through this alone.

“Hey, Soph?” The small cup tinked against its saucer when he set it down. “Why don’t we invite some more people to the party?”

Sophie stared at him curiously, hair still falling in her eyes, never mind the half dozen barrettes that decorated her head.

“But I only have four chairs,” she said and pointed to where a her dolls sat slumped against the tablecloth.

“I’m pretty sure Mr. Flop and Miss Butterfly-Princess will understand.” There was at least one person he knew that would never be able to say no to Sophie, even if he was a bit of a hermit. And sure enough, a few thumps and a squeal of delight later, Bunny had joined them at the table.

It was not as hilarious as expected.

“How the hell do you know all this?” Jack hissed at Bunny half and hour later, during which time he’d gained a hat and makeshift tie. Sophie had just run to her room for a change of outfit. Bunny hadn’t even blinked at Sophie’s demands when he’d arrived, instead effortlessly falling into his role as a gentleman and doing so well that he’d evaded being dressed up by their hostess entirely.

“Manners, ya mean?”

“Yes- no! I have manners.” The large rabbit smirked at him. Ass.

“I’m sure ya do,” Bunny said, leaning back in his chair. “But this is proper like.”

“Oh, and Australians do this sort of thing all the time, do they?” he snarked. Jack did know how to be polite. This was just… excessive. He’d thought Bunny would be terrible at it too, with his big paw-fingers and rough-Aussie-whatever.

“Technically, I’m not actually Australian.” Which Jack knew, because he’d gotten a crash course in Guardian history since taking the oath, and wow, Jack had thought he’d had a tragic past. Still, Bunny was a bit of a curmudgeon and he felt that it was his responsibility, as Guardian of Fun, to help the Guardian of Hope loosen up a bit.

“This is alien rabbit bullshit, isn’t it?” Aster muffled his laughter as Sophie sailed back to the table, not wearing a dress so much as a wide swath of frilly, glittery fabric. Snapping his mouth shut, Jack reminded himself to watch his language. He’d never hear the end of it if he didn’t.

“Did you cut the cake?” Sophie asked Bunny, sitting down and adjusting her outfit.

“Not yet,” his Australian accent morphed into something more smooth and polished. “I was waiting for your return.”

Bunny reached toward the middle of the table. Jack watched as he elegantly sliced through an imaginary cake and passed around pieces, first to Sophie, then Jack, until finally serving himself.

“Thank you, Sir Bunny.”

“You’re very welcome, Miss Bennett,” Bunny said. Jack was tempted to point out that Aster was sitting at the table naked, fur notwithstanding, just to see the look on his face, but he couldn’t bring himself to be that rude in front of Sophie. She was so happy. The joy in her heart buoyed him up and made it hard to feel too put upon.

So they sat and chatted and soon enough Jack was relaxed and enjoying himself too. Jack had no trouble keeping up his end of the conversation with Sophie when Bunny disappeared briefly to fetch them a proper lunch, even if he did stumble over his words a bit. It was nice. It was also the longest that he and Bunny had hung out without at least one snowball or exploding egg in the mix.

“Mr. Frost?” Bunny used Sophie’s title for him without a hint of sarcasm. Jack wasn’t sure why the kangaroo had been dubbed a Sir and he a Mr, but in Sophie’s worldview he was clearly outranked. And that was before Bunny had returned looking the part, wearing a green long coat with a high collar and gold egg-shaped buttons. She wasn’t wrong, Jack supposed. The Easter Bunny had been around a lot longer than Jack Frost, that’s for sure. “Would you mind fetching Master Jamie to luncheon? Surely he must be famished.”

Aww, crap. Jack had totally forgotten about Jamie. He mentally kicked himself for being inconsiderate.

“Err, Yeah- I mean, yes. Of course. I shall return… uh, soon!” Jack banged his knee as he rose and Sophie squeaked in surprise at the clatter it made. Jack threw a glare at Bunny, who wasn’t fooling anyone with the way he smirked behind his napkin, and made for the door.

“He’s not very good at tea parties,” Sophie loudly not-whispered to Bunny.

“He’s doing his best, Miss Bennett. I’m sure he’ll be much improved in time with you setting such an excellent example.”

Jack didn’t look back, but he was sure Sophie would be puffed up with pride at that bit of praise. Maybe Cottontail wasn’t so bad.

The Bennett house was quiet with their mother out, having been called into work on short notice. Jack briefly wondered if she’d left them something for lunch already. Whatever. Jamie would explain it somehow. He was pretty good at that sort of thing. He'd gotten a lot of practice with how often had Jack visited.

Jack knocked on Jamie’s bedroom door, expecting to hear his voice. No response. Huh. Okay, maybe the kid just didn’t hear him? Jack rapped louder.

Still nothing.

“Jamie?” he called. Jack strained to hear anything beyond the door. The silence was ominous and panic crept up his throat. Would this be it? Would this be how Jamie forgot?

He desperately hoped it wasn’t. Not yet.

Jack turned the handle of the door and opened it slowly. Jamie sat in the same chair, staring at the screen, fingers tapping absentmindedly on the desk. Just as Jack had left him. He took a few steps inside, hoping it was all in his head, and when he noticed he nearly crumpled with relief.

Jamie was wearing headphones.

“Wha-?” Jack’s gentle touch roused Jamie, who looked up at him wearily.

“I’ve come to invite you to luncheon.” He bowed slightly.

“What?” Jamie repeated somewhat more coherently and pulled off his headphones, rubbing at his eyes. Yeah, the kid definitely needed a break.

“Lunch? In the playroom.”

“You made lunch?” Jack might been insulted by Jamie’s incredulous tone, but he knew full well he was crap in a modern kitchen. He’d tried making toast once and now he had a kitchen-wide ban with a special clause regarding appliances. 

“No, I didn’t violate the appliance restraining order. Come on.” He motioned for Jamie to get up.

“Why do you have a skipping rope tied around your neck?” Jamie frowned at him. “And is that a tea cosy on your-”

“There’s a _dress code_. So, if you’ve got a jacket you’d better bring it or risk having to wear whatever she deems appropriate.”

“Okay. It’s kind small though.”

“Allow me to assist, Master Bennett.” Jamie giggled as Jack helped him. It was definitely too small, the sleeves riding up on Jamie’s forearms, but Sophie wouldn’t care.

Jack swanned into the playroom and announced Jamie before he entered. Sophie squealed and directed them to their seats before they dove into the finger food that Bunny had laid out, and thank Manny for that, it saved Jack from having to figure out which fork to use.

“Mr. Frost, you have to try some!” Sophie shoved a tiny cheese topped cracker under Jack’s nose. He ate it without complaint, much to her delight. She turned her attention to Jamie then, ordering him to get his elbows off the table and stop stealing all the celery boats.

They were sweet and silly and Jack loved being with them. It was a quieter kind of fun, sure, but fun all the same, and he wouldn’t trade the Bennett kids for anything. So no matter how many times they corrected his etiquette, he was going to enjoy it.

Though next time, he was bringing his own outfit.


End file.
